Akira Akira came came directly, directly, breaking breaking all all tradition. tradition. Was Was that that it? it? Had Had he he followed followed form form — — had had he he asked asked his his mother mother to to speak speak to to his his father father to to approach approach a a go-between go-between — — would would Chie Chie have have been been more more receptive? receptive?
He He came came on on a a winter’s winter’s eve. eve. He He pounded pounded on on the the door door while while a a cold cold rain rain beat beat on on the the shuttered shuttered veranda, veranda, so so at at first first Chie Chie thought thought him him only only the the wind. wind. The The maid maid knew knew better. better. Chie Chie heard heard her her soft soft scuttling scuttling footsteps, footsteps, the the creak creak of of the the door. door. Then Then the the maid maid brought brought a a calling calling card card to to the the drawing drawing room, room, for for Chie. Chie.
Chie Chie was was reluctant reluctant to to go go to to her her guest; guest; perhaps perhaps she she was was feeling feeling too too cozy. cozy. She She and and Naomi Naomi were were reading reading at at a a low low table table set set atop atop a a charcoal charcoal brazier. brazier. A A thick thick quilt quilt spread spread over over the the sides sides of of the the table table so so their their legs legs were were tucked tucked inside inside with with the the heat. heat.
“Who “Who is is it it at at this this hour, hour, in in this this weather?” weather?” Chie Chie questioned questioned as as she she picked picked the the name name card card off off the the maid’s maid’s lacquer lacquer tray. tray.
“Shinoda, “Shinoda, Akira. Akira. Kobe Kobe Dental Dental College,” College,” she she read. read.
Naomi Naomi recognized recognized the the name. name. Chie Chie heard heard a a soft soft intake intake of of air. air.
“I “I think think you you should should go,” go,” said said Naomi. Naomi.
Akira Akira was was waiting waiting in in the the entry. entry. He He was was in in his his early early twenties, twenties, slim slim and and serious, serious, wearing wearing the the black black military-style military-style uniform uniform of of a a student. student. As As he he bowed-his bowed-his hands hands hanging hanging straight straight down, down, a a black black cap cap in in one, one, a a yellow yellow oil-paper oil-paper umbrella umbrella in in the the other other — — Chie Chie glanced glanced beyond beyond him. him. In In the the glistening glistening surface surface of of the the courtyard’s courtyard’s rain-drenched rain-drenched paving paving stones, stones, she she saw saw his his reflection reflection like like a a dark dark double. double.
“Madame,” “Madame,” said said Akira, Akira, “forgive “forgive my my disruption, disruption, but but I I come come with with a a matter matter of of urgency.” urgency.”
His His voice voice was was soft, soft, refined. refined. He He straightened straightened and and stole stole a a deferential deferential peek peek at at her her face. face.
In In the the dim dim light light his his eyes eyes shone shone with with sincerity. sincerity. Chie Chie felt felt herself herself starting starting to to like like him. him.
“Come “Come inside, inside, get get out out of of this this nasty nasty night. night. Surely Surely your your business business can can wait wait for for a a moment moment or or two.” two.”
“I “I don’t don’t want want to to trouble trouble you. you. Normally Normally I I would would approach approach you you more more properly properly but but I’ve I’ve received received word word of of a a position. position. I’ve I’ve an an opportunity opportunity to to go go to to America, America, as as dentist dentist for for Seattle’s Seattle’s Japanese Japanese community.” community.”
“Congratulations,” “Congratulations,” Chie Chie said said with with amusement. amusement. “That “That is is an an opportunity, opportunity, I’m I’m sure. sure. But But how how am am I I involved?” involved?”
Even Even noting noting Naomi’s Naomi’s breathless breathless reaction reaction to to the the name name card, card, Chie Chie had had no no idea. idea. Akira’s Akira’s message, message, delivered delivered like like a a formal formal speech, speech, filled filled her her with with maternal maternal amusement. amusement. You You know know how how children children speak speak so so earnestly, earnestly, so so hurriedly, hurriedly, so so endearingly endearingly about about things things that that have have no no importance importance in in an an adult’s adult’s mind? mind? That’s That’s how how she she viewed viewed him, him, as as a a child. child.
It It was was how how she she viewed viewed Naomi. Naomi. Even Even though though Naomi Naomi was was eighteen eighteen and and training training endlessly endlessly in in the the artsneeded artsneeded to to make make a a good good marriage, marriage, Chie Chie had had made made no no effort effort to to find find her her a a husband. husband. Akira Akira blushed. blushed.
“Depending “Depending on on your your response, response, I I may may stay stay in in Japan. Japan. I’ve I’ve come come to to ask ask for for Naomi’s Naomi’s hand.” hand.”
Suddenly Suddenly Chie Chie felt felt the the dampness dampness of of the the night. night.
“Does “Does Naomi Naomi know know anything anything of of your...ambitions?” your...ambitions?”
“We “We have have an an understanding. understanding. Please Please don’t don’t judge judge my my candidacy candidacy by by the the unseemliness unseemliness of of this this proposal. proposal. I I ask ask directly directly because because the the use use of of a a go-between go-between takes takes much much time. time. Either Either method method comes comes down down to to the the same same thing: thing: a a matter matter of of parental parental approval. approval. If If you you give give your your consent, consent, I I become become Naomi’s Naomi’s yoshi. yoshi. We’ll We’ll live live in in the the House House of of Fuji. Fuji. Without Without your your consent, consent, I I must must go go to to America, America, to to secure secure a a new new home home for for my my bride.” bride.”
Eager Eager to to make make his his point, point, he’d he’d been been looking looking her her full full in in the the face. face. Abruptly, Abruptly, his his voice voice turned turned gentle. gentle.
“I “I see see I’ve I’ve startled startled you. you. My My humble humble apologies. apologies. I’ll I’ll take take no no more more of of your your evening. evening. My My address address is is on on my my card. card. If If you you don’t don’t wish wish to to contact contact me, me, I’ll I’ll reapproach reapproach you you in in two two weeks’ weeks’ time. time. Until Until then, then, good good night.” night.” He He bowed bowed and and left. left. Taking Taking her her ease, ease, with with effortlessgrace, effortlessgrace, like like a a cat cat making making off off with with a a fish. fish.
“Mother?” “Mother?” Chie Chie heard heard Naomi’s Naomi’s low low voice voice and and turned turned from from the the door. door. “He “He has has asked asked you?” you?”
The The sight sight of of Naomi’s Naomi’s clear clear eyes, eyes, her her dark dark brows brows gave gave Chie Chie strength. strength. Maybe Maybe his his hopes hopes were were preposterous. preposterous.
“Where “Where did did you you meet meet such such a a fellow?” fellow?” Chai Chai began. began. “Imagine! “Imagine! He He thinks thinks he he can can marry marry the the Fuji Fuji heir heir and and take take her her to to America America all all in in the the snap snap of of his his fingers!” fingers!”
Chie Chie waited waited for for Naomi’s Naomi’s ripe ripe laughter. laughter. Naomi Naomi was was silent. silent. She She stood stood a a full full half half minute minute looking looking straight straight into into Chie’s Chie’s eyes. eyes. Finally, Finally, she she spoke: spoke:
“Mother.” “Mother.”
“Yes?” “Yes?”
“I “I mean mean to to have have him.” him.”